SASKATOON, Sask – The Saskatchewan Huskies women’s volleyball team lost a competitive four set match against the Saint Mary’s Huskies by a final score of 3-1 this Saturday afternoon at the Investors Group Athletic Centre in Winnipeg Manitoba.

Despite an 11-4 lead in the fourth and deciding set, Saskatchewan could not close down the stretch, dropping the final frame 26-24. With the loss the Saskatchewan Huskies season officially comes to a close, while their namesake SMU will play in the national fifth place game tomorrow at 10 AM.

For a Saskatchewan team that many felt was ahead of schedule, the loss still stings, as internally the team had goals of winning one or multiple games at the tournament. After dropping a 3-1 game to the Thunderbirds on Friday, the Huskies entered the match optimistic about their chances against their AUS opponent.

The first set gave an indication of the type of game that would ultimately unfold. Saskatchewan jumped out to an early 8-3 lead prompting an SMU timeout, in the early going Saskatchewan looked shared passing and attacking with Taryn Hannah and Jessica Bergstrom leading the charge offensively., However momentum began to swing once SMU first-team All-Canadian Emilia Mikanovich buried two back kills to even the score at 11. SMU would add three more points before Saskatchewan head coach Mark Dodds would call a timeout to regroup. However, Saskatchewan would continue to have trouble handling SMU’s service pressure, which disrupted their offence in the opening set. SMU would extend their lead, taking the opening frame 25-19. 

Just like Friday night, Saskatchewan proved their resilience, something that has shaped the story of their season. With their backs against the wall, Saskatchewan barked back, showing why they deserved a spot in the national championship tournament. Once again Saskatchewan got off to a hot start, going up 12-5 after a pair of electrifying plays by Bergstrom. First the second year middle made a nice run to the outside, slamming home the kill through the SMU block. On the very next serve, Bergstrom was isolated against SMU’s Taylor Lougheed and stood up tall, denying the attack. The pressure on the middle of the court allowed swinging lanes to open up for Saskatchewan’s outside hitters, including Abbey Klein and Rosetta Cyr, who finished with nine and eight kills respectively. Saskatchewan took the second set comfortably 25-14.

The third set was another tightly contested affair. After a slower start to the set, Saskatchewan clawed their way back after an ace by setter Tielle Hagel made it 6-7 and a Klein kill tied the game shortly afterwards. Although her overall hitting percentage does not necessarily reflect it, Klein was a very important player off the bench today for the Huskies, making the most of her extended playing time. With the season on the line, Mark Dodds was not afraid to go into his deck of cards, riding the hot hand at every opportunity. Although Saskatchewan kept set three competitive, SMU was able to grab a late lead, getting the bounces they needed to win some long rallies towards the end of the set, taking the third 25-18.

The best performance of the night for Saskatchewan came from one of their longest tenured players, fifth-year middle Julia Howell Bourner, who was named player of the game for Saskatchewan. Howell Bourner rose to the level of the moment, a legacy defining game in her last match as a Huskie. Early in the set Howell Bourner blocked SMU on back to back plays, giving Saskatchewan a 6-2 lead. She would finish the match with eight total block assists, which would have been a Saskatchewan playoff program record, if not for Jessica Bergstrom’s nine block performance against the TWU Spartans in the play-in series last month. 

After Rosie Cyr made it 22-18, it appeared as the Huskies would be headed towards a fifth set. However, as was a trend throughout the game, and the tournament, Saskatchewan’s youth and inexperience in the big moments caught up to them at the wrong times. SMU fought their way back into the set, winning the next four points and tying the game at 22. Saskatchewan would go up 24-23 after an attack error, but Klein was blocked on the potential set winner and SMU tied the game. Saint Mary’s would take the final two points of the game and emerge victorious.

Although the loss stings in the moment, the future is bright for the Saskatchewan Huskies. Graduating just three players this year, Saskatchewan is poised to take the next step forward in the 2025-26 season. For coach Dodds and his team, this is valuable experience which can be used to fuel their hunger moving into next season and beyond.

SASKATOON, Sask – The Saskatchewan Huskies women’s volleyball team lost a competitive four set match against the Saint Mary’s Huskies by a final score of 3-1 this Saturday afternoon at the Investors Group Athletic Centre in Winnipeg Manitoba.

Despite an 11-4 lead in the fourth and deciding set, Saskatchewan could not close down the stretch, dropping the final frame 26-24. With the loss the Saskatchewan Huskies season officially comes to a close, while their namesake SMU will play in the national fifth place game tomorrow at 10 AM.

For a Saskatchewan team that many felt was ahead of schedule, the loss still stings, as internally the team had goals of winning one or multiple games at the tournament. After dropping a 3-1 game to the Thunderbirds on Friday, the Huskies entered the match optimistic about their chances against their AUS opponent.

The first set gave an indication of the type of game that would ultimately unfold. Saskatchewan jumped out to an early 8-3 lead prompting an SMU timeout, in the early going Saskatchewan looked shared passing and attacking with Taryn Hannah and Jessica Bergstrom leading the charge offensively., However momentum began to swing once SMU first-team All-Canadian Emilia Mikanovich buried two back kills to even the score at 11. SMU would add three more points before Saskatchewan head coach Mark Dodds would call a timeout to regroup. However, Saskatchewan would continue to have trouble handling SMU’s service pressure, which disrupted their offence in the opening set. SMU would extend their lead, taking the opening frame 25-19. 

Just like Friday night, Saskatchewan proved their resilience, something that has shaped the story of their season. With their backs against the wall, Saskatchewan barked back, showing why they deserved a spot in the national championship tournament. Once again Saskatchewan got off to a hot start, going up 12-5 after a pair of electrifying plays by Bergstrom. First the second year middle made a nice run to the outside, slamming home the kill through the SMU block. On the very next serve, Bergstrom was isolated against SMU’s Taylor Lougheed and stood up tall, denying the attack. The pressure on the middle of the court allowed swinging lanes to open up for Saskatchewan’s outside hitters, including Abbey Klein and Rosetta Cyr, who finished with nine and eight kills respectively. Saskatchewan took the second set comfortably 25-14.

The third set was another tightly contested affair. After a slower start to the set, Saskatchewan clawed their way back after an ace by setter Tielle Hagel made it 6-7 and a Klein kill tied the game shortly afterwards. Although her overall hitting percentage does not necessarily reflect it, Klein was a very important player off the bench today for the Huskies, making the most of her extended playing time. With the season on the line, Mark Dodds was not afraid to go into his deck of cards, riding the hot hand at every opportunity. Although Saskatchewan kept set three competitive, SMU was able to grab a late lead, getting the bounces they needed to win some long rallies towards the end of the set, taking the third 25-18.

The best performance of the night for Saskatchewan came from one of their longest tenured players, fifth-year middle Julia Howell Bourner, who was named player of the game for Saskatchewan. Howell Bourner rose to the level of the moment, a legacy defining game in her last match as a Huskie. Early in the set Howell Bourner blocked SMU on back to back plays, giving Saskatchewan a 6-2 lead. She would finish the match with eight total block assists, which would have been a Saskatchewan playoff program record, if not for Jessica Bergstrom’s nine block performance against the TWU Spartans in the play-in series last month. 

After Rosie Cyr made it 22-18, it appeared as the Huskies would be headed towards a fifth set. However, as was a trend throughout the game, and the tournament, Saskatchewan’s youth and inexperience in the big moments caught up to them at the wrong times. SMU fought their way back into the set, winning the next four points and tying the game at 22. Saskatchewan would go up 24-23 after an attack error, but Klein was blocked on the potential set winner and SMU tied the game. Saint Mary’s would take the final two points of the game and emerge victorious.

Although the loss stings in the moment, the future is bright for the Saskatchewan Huskies. Graduating just three players this year, Saskatchewan is poised to take the next step forward in the 2025-26 season. For coach Dodds and his team, this is valuable experience which can be used to fuel their hunger moving into next season and beyond.